News & Events

JPH Reading Room plans approved by legislature

North Arkansas College has received approval from the state legislature to move forward with the John Paul Hammerschmidt Reading Room improvement project for 2013. Dr. Jackie Elliott, President of North Arkansas College, stated, “We are delighted that this project has been approved in the recent legislative session. We now have the seed money to start the project to formally display Congressman Hammerschmidt’s historical documents, photographs, and memorabilia for the benefit of the 175,000 residents that reside in the service area of North Arkansas College. We have collected a few private donations to complete the JPH Reading Room, and hope to have the remaining funds secured by the fall.”

The JPH Reading Room will be located in the South Campus library of North Arkansas College. While it is designed for all Arkansans, the Reading Room will be particularly useful to Northark students, Boone County residents and local school children. The project is designed to historically preserve, catalog, and display artifacts collected by Congressman Hammerschmidt. Through planned educational programming in conjunction with local elementary and high schools, the JPH Reading Room will provide access to teachers and students to documents relating to Arkansas and national history.

Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt has been a long-time advocate of North Arkansas College and public education. The JPH Reading Room will not only benefit local youth and community through providing a unique perspective of Arkansas and American history, but will preserve the legacy of a national Congressman from Harrison who made a tremendous impact on the state.